Three steps to create a social media hit

The creation of a hit product is a process of word-of-mouth production, collection, dissemination and fission. The entire process of creating a hit product can be divided into three stages: new product launch, word-of-mouth momentum and stable promotion.

The launch of a new product is a very important stage in creating a hit product, which is a decisive battle that determines how many seed users you can have during the word-of-mouth promotion stage.

Users’ enthusiasm for new products is highest when the products are first launched on the market, so operating this stage well will have a multiplier effect on subsequent product development.

So what should be done when launching a new product? Two things: trial and seeding.

1. New product trial

Trial is a key step in the launch of a new product, especially when the brand awareness is low and users have low knowledge of the product, trial is even more essential.

There are two goals for trialing a new product:

1. Increase the first-time traffic , that is, popularity and attention. The core action of the operation is the dissemination of new product information
2. Accumulate the first batch of word-of-mouth and improve the conversion rate of the product launch. The core action of the operation is to guide user feedback and share the feedback materials.

To achieve the above goals, community operation partners need to answer the following four questions:

1. How to convey the selling points, functions, packaging and other information that may trigger demand for new products? ——Increase visibility
2. How to attract attention and create popularity for new products? ——Increase attention
3. How to guide users to provide feedback on the product’s efficacy and selling points to generate word of mouth? ——User feedback
4. How to spread user feedback and improve the conversion rate of the first release? ——Word of mouth

These four issues need to be addressed throughout the entire trial operation.

Step 1: Screening of trial candidates

The principle of selecting trial subjects is to solve the above four problems, that is, to select users with communication influence, sharing ability and product matching degree for trial.

1) Communication influence

Those who have communication influence are generally what we call KOL and KOC. Their experience and opinions can cover a wide range of people and are an important means of increasing brand awareness.

It should be noted that when selecting, you need to pay attention to the product matching. For example, it is difficult to achieve the desired effect if a young KOL in the field of clothing and fashion tries out a new baby formula product.

2) Ability to share ideas

The most important thing about a trial is to produce “word-of-mouth materials”.

The word of mouth of ordinary people is more authentic and reliable than that of KOL and KOC.

Especially for the real demanders of the product, if the product solves his problem and gains his recognition, he will have a very strong desire to share and spread the product, and the authenticity of the case will greatly improve the conversion rate of the product.

However, users who have needs may not necessarily have the ability to share.

For functional and practical products, it is relatively easy for users to share them. Users only need to state whether the problem has been solved and whether any side effects have occurred. The direction is clear.

For experience-based products, there is a requirement for trial users to have the ability to recommend products.

He needs to be able to grasp the details of the experience and understand the selling points that other users may care about and that can only be felt through actual experience.

For example, the bubble strength of cider, whether the crotch of pants is loose, whether the heels of socks are loose, etc. These selling points can only be felt by trial users themselves. Their observation and description of these selling points determine whether other users will buy them.

Therefore, the selection and preference of trial candidates should be different for different types of products.

Step 2: Collect trial feedback

There are two aspects to consider when collecting trial feedback: one is to set feedback points, and the other is to pay attention to the form of feedback.

1) Set feedback points

① For products whose effects cannot be directly reflected

For some products, the effectiveness cannot be directly observed and monitored. At this time, the official needs to manually set feedback points to guide trial users to observe and feel.

For example, if you are selling a health product that nourishes the liver and protects the kidneys, the effects of the product are difficult to observe with the naked eye, and users have no awareness of the product's physical reactions. At this time, it is necessary to manually set observation points, allowing users to pay attention to the improvement of their own sleep quality, yellow complexion, cold hands and feet, frequent urination and other liver and kidney problems.

② Products with observable effects but requiring continuous use

Some products are highly targeted but also have a lasting nature, so they require continuous feedback.

For example, for weight loss products, trial users need to be guided to record their body fat and weight and check in on the scale every day. On the one hand, this allows users to feel the effectiveness of the product through changes in data; on the other hand, it supervises users to continue using the product to avoid the ineffectiveness of the product due to user laziness.

After continuing for a period of time, you need to make a body comparison chart before and after using the product, so that users can intuitively see the changes and it will also facilitate dissemination.

③ For products with long product effectiveness cycle

Some products have highly targeted effects, but the feedback cycle is very long. During the trial-online sales period, it is impossible to obtain feedback on the core effects, such as products for calcium supplementation, lowering the four highs, and improving vision.

For this type of product, before going online, the purpose of the trial needs to shift from effect feedback to ingredient dissemination, that is, leveraging the trial user's relationship network to promote the product selling points. Or, like the first type of product, select some observable improvement indicators and guide users to observe and provide feedback.

2) Feedback form

There are generally four ways to provide feedback: text, pictures, videos and live broadcasts. The first three are commonly used feedback methods, while live streaming can be used to expand the popularity of new products when the product and trial users meet the requirements.

①Text feedback: record word of mouth

Text is a relatively rational way of feedback, suitable for conveying relatively professional information, such as product ingredients, core selling points, efficacy principles, etc.

At the same time, text is also a form of displayable "evidence" .

When we collect feedback, we are actually collecting evidence that can prove the selling points of the product, and text is a kind of evidence that can be displayed, so chat screenshots about product feedback are very important.

②Image feedback: Use contrast to highlight the effect

Pictures are a form of feedback that is easy to spread, especially for products whose efficacy can be judged visually, such as weight loss products, whitening products, hip-lifting pants, push-up bras, etc.

Therefore, if picture comparison is possible, be sure to ask the trial users to provide comparison pictures before and after the product trial, and use puzzle software to splice them together for easy dissemination.

③ Video feedback: truly and comprehensively display the product and its efficacy, and convey the emotions of the trial users

Compared with text and pictures, the information conveyed by videos is more real and comprehensive, allowing users to intuitively feel the real appearance of the product in reality, and the reliability of the information is increased.

In addition, videos are dynamic and can convey the emotions of trial users. If the trial users can express their high recognition and passion for the product in the video, viewers will easily be infected, thereby increasing the user conversion rate.

④ Live feedback: motivate fans and improve conversion through emotional infection and transmission

The biggest feature of live streaming is that it drives user emotions. The emotions of the live streamer interact with the audience in real time, which can greatly affect the user's emotions, mobilize desires, and thus promote impulse consumption.

Regarding anchors and video recording, the key is to have passion and emotions, so that good results can be achieved. Of course, the atmosphere of the live broadcast also depends on the tone of the product.

Step 3: Organize trial users to spread the word

As the saying goes: A man who takes favors from others will be grateful to them; a man who eats from others will be soft-hearted.

During the trial process, users have the strongest desire to share and spread the word. After the trial, their enthusiasm will wane. Therefore, during the trial period, it is necessary to make good use of the trial users’ social resources to spread the new product.

When we invite trial users, we can ask them to spread the word and choose the following methods:

• Promote on social platforms such as user’s circle of friends, user groups, video accounts, Xiaohongshu, etc.
• Allow capable users to start live broadcast promotion
• Let users promote in offline salons and gatherings
• Let users who are good at sharing and promoting products share their feedback in the official group.
• If you are an agent, find a few people with strong sales ability and share sales skills for this product in the agent group.

Summary: Through these three steps of trial, we can create a certain amount of buzz, allowing users to have a more comprehensive understanding of the new product. At the same time, we accumulate the first batch of word-of-mouth and prepare for improving conversions.

During the trial phase, materials are constantly being generated. At this time, the official channels cannot be idle either, as we need to continue to plant seeds and spread publicity.

2. New product introduction and promotion

1. New grass species

Promoting new products is a set of continuous actions rather than a one-time behavior. It is not enough to just recommend it to everyone once in the community, but it is necessary to continuously stimulate users and increase their attention.

1) The rhythm of planting grass

From planting grass to product sales, it can be divided into three stages:

Phase 1: Introduction of overall product information

The core goal of this stage is to give users a comprehensive understanding of the product, so the richer the information, the better. The main contents include basic information such as product efficacy, ingredients, selling points, endorsements, prices, packaging, factories, etc.

Phase 2: Planting seeds around the product’s selling points

After the first stage of being attracted to the product, users’ understanding of the product is relatively superficial and their impression is not deep. At this time, operators are needed to guide users to focus on the selling points.

The direction of product promotion at this time is the continuous analysis of the core selling points, such as what core ingredients and black technologies are used? How do these ingredients work? What benefits can it bring to users?

At this stage, the goal is to penetrate the selling points and establish user awareness of the product.

What does it mean to fully understand the selling points?

It is to combine the product with the user's usage scenarios, and repeat the output continuously so that when users encounter a certain scenario, they can naturally think of this product as a solution.

For example, if you want to give gifts when you go back to your hometown, you can give Melatonin; if you want to travel and stay in a hotel, you have to buy a disposable bath set; if you want to provide nutritional supplements for children or pregnant women, you can choose newborn eggs from local chickens or stew soup from old hens, etc. Giving gifts, traveling, and nutritional supplements are all user demand scenarios, and the choices that users make naturally are the solutions formed after long-term education by the market or customs.

Phase 3: User feedback and personal experience

After everyone reaches a consensus on the product's selling points, the next step is to make users believe that what you say is true. This is where feedback from trial users comes in handy.

You can invite trial users to join the group to share their experience and encourage others to buy the product. You can also collect user feedback every day to let everyone see the true situation of the product.

In short, the goal of this stage is to make users believe that this product can really solve their problems and meet their needs.

2) Channels for seeding

Although we are talking about promoting products in the community, our goal is to sell out the first time, so all channels that can promote products should be utilized, rather than just guarding the community's own small piece of land.

The company’s official account tweets, Xiaohongshu, short videos on Douyin and Kuaishou, company live broadcasts, offline channel penetration, the user base of the agency team, Moments, social accounts, etc., as long as you can use the resources, make use of them. You need to ensure that users can see your products no matter which channel they appear on, thereby increasing your product exposure.

2. Spread the word

The so-called hype is to increase the number of voices paying attention to and discussing the product, forming a hot atmosphere and making people feel that it is being discussed everywhere.

The formation of potential requires two conditions: volume and aggregation.

On the one hand, we need to let many people speak out for the product and build up momentum; on the other hand, we need to gather these voices in one place instead of scattering them everywhere. Only when both are available can momentum be created and a "hot-selling atmosphere" be produced.

How can we achieve these two conditions? Do activities.

1) Dissemination of feedback materials

• Posting in the circle: Organize agents and users to post feedback materials from trial users to bombard the entire circle
• Video Account/Xiaohongshu/Douyin/Kuaishou/Weibo: Organize users to post video accounts
• Live broadcast by big names: Let KOL/KOC take turns to live broadcast or promote in large groups
• User testimonials: Let real users with significant results promote content in large groups, and spread the content to all groups

2) Expert live broadcast and Q&A

The power of expert endorsement of a product should not be underestimated, especially for health care products. If experts with a medical background interact with users and answer questions through live broadcasts, it will not only trigger the active participation of users, but also greatly enhance users’ trust in the product.

3) Prize-winning topic activities

You can set up topic activities and then use lottery opportunities to attract attention.

For example, initiating discussion topics in the community: #Weird things that people have encountered when staying in a hotel; #Top ten signs of poor liver and kidney health, etc. Alternatively, you can initiate product-related topic activities on social accounts such as Weibo and official accounts, or you can initiate them in your own APP or web page.

4) New product reservation or sharing lucky draw

As long as you participate in the reservation for new products, you can participate in the lottery; or you can share the new product promotion link with other users to participate in the lottery, etc. Then, on the reservation or sharing page, the number of reservations or shares will be displayed, plus the winning information flow display, etc., to create an atmosphere for the popularity of new products.

Summary: The underlying logic of sales remains unchanged, and the same is true for creating social media hits.

According to the sales formula:

Sales = Traffic x Conversion Rate x Average Order Value x Repurchase Rate

During the entire new product launch phase, the community’s work revolves around trials and product promotion . Its core goal is to increase the traffic and conversion rate of the first launch . Only when these two things are done well can the new product have the possibility of becoming a hit.